FaceTweak
Beauty, technology, and increasing societal pressure
Directed by Bianca Poletti
Interview by Katie Huelin
Acclaimed director Bianca Poletti releases her latest short film, FaceTweak, a thought-provoking exploration of self-image in the age of AI. The film gives an insight into a teenage girl who is immersed in AI face-tuning and the overwhelm that comes with it, pushing her to extremes to reach online “perfection”.
With a sharp, Black Mirror-inspired tone, FaceTweak isn’t about judgment, but instead, offers a bold commentary on the intersection of beauty, technology, and the increasing societal pressure today, raising the question: When is enough truly enough?
FaceTweak hits hard on the obsession with digital “perfection.” What pushed you to explore this online pressure through film and how did you approach balancing the dark satire with the more emotional reality of the story?
I was spending a lot of time on TikTok researching for a commercial project and kept seeing the same video repeated over and over - young girls, in their early teens, using AI to completely transform their faces into something different, and then getting plastic surgery to match that idea of “perfect” beauty. I found it really fascinating and wanted to explore that.
The tone was really important to me. I never want to tell anyone how to feel or what’s right or wrong. I’m just observing—and asking the question: When is enough enough? Is there a limit to perceived perfection? With that in mind, I knew I wanted to add some light humour and levity. That’s where the use of AI came in, along with the mix of this teen girl seeking approval and taking things too far. There’s something almost comical in the darkness of the internet sometimes—and that contradiction was something I really wanted to play with.
You mentioned how FaceTweak came together spontaneously during the prep of another one of your films - Video Barn, with the script finalised just a week before shooting. How did that quick, instinctive process influence the rawness of the film?
Yes! I was preparing to shoot a little trailer for Video Barn, and realised we had three free hours of our shoot day. So I quickly wrote FaceTweak with the idea that it would be very run-and-gun - capturing spontaneous moments that felt right in the moment.
I think that really helped the tone of the film. I didn’t overthink it or overboard the concept. It’s a simple but layered story, told in one room with one actor over three hours—and there’s something really exciting about that. Beauty can be created spontaneously, and sometimes magic happens when you don’t have time to second-guess it.
“I never want to tell anyone how to feel or what’s right or wrong. I’m just observing—and asking the question: When is enough enough.”
Music and sound design are crucial in FaceTweak for heightening both the humor and the unease. What was your approach to sound for this film, and how did you find the right sound design?
I work with a really amazing human and music supervisor, Abbey Hendrix, on all of my films. She truly brought this to life musically. Between her, Natalie, and Dusten (my editor), they really helped shape the sound design elements to build that uneasy, Black Mirror-esque tone.
Abbey sent me a few tracks once we had our locked cut, and she knew the current track we’re using was the one. She pushed for it and she’s always right. I love it. It sets the tone in this sweet, 16-year-old, perfect-world way, even as darker elements start to take over.
The film is set in a bedroom, a really private space, but you show just how the online world and outside opinions can completely take over. How did you think about capturing that sense of overwhelm and invasion from social media?
Thank you. I feel like social media consumes us no matter where we are—in the most public and most private places—and I find that fascinating.
Something someone says through IG or the internet can completely pivot your day—or even your life—in just a brief moment. That’s incredibly powerful. Your bedroom should be a safe haven. No one should be able to touch you there—it’s your space.
But suddenly, you’re allowing the outside world—anyone, really—to come into your soul, your room, your life, and guide how you feel about yourself. I wanted to explore that loss of control here.
With FaceTweak and your recent premiere of Video Barn at SXSW, how do you see your voice as a director evolving right now? Are there any projects, themes, or ideas you’re excited to explore?
I feel like I’m in a phase of exploring the darker side of the psyche—but in a way that isn’t melodramatic. I’m really drawn to the human experience right now, and I want to keep focusing on those kinds of stories. Being different is your superpower, don't dim that light.
I’m working on the feature version of Video Barn, and a couple of other features in the works that I’m really excited about. One is with my close friend Nikki Lorenzo and John Hawkes—and it’s going to be a beautiful one.
Directed and Written by: Bianca Poletti (@bpoletti)
Starring: Bix Krieger (@bixkriegbop)
Produced by: Zauberberg (@zauberbergproductions) and Primo (@primocontent)
Executive Producers: Frank Siegl, Andrea Roman Perse, and Jaime Vidal
Produced by: Beverly Amidon
Cinematography by: Kayla Hoff (@kaylahoff_)
Edited by: Dusten Zimmerman at Cabin Edit (@cabinedit)
Color by: Mikey Rossiter at Rare Medium (@raremedium.tv)
VFX by: Parliament
Music Supervision: Abbey Hendrix
Sound designer + Mixer: Natalie Huizenga
Music Post House: Field Day
Wardrobe: Abigail Summer Francis
Production Design: Sara Fern
Title Design: Fifty One Eight (@fifty_one_eight)